P-47 Loadouts

I need some help with the various loadouts of the P-47D throughout the war. I am working on a mod for IL-2 and will be making new loadouts, but i need some valid sources to use because i'm making this as professional as possible.

I read about how P-47s sometimes had 2 guns removed to save weight, thus reducing the gun count to 6 M2s. I need info like this, weither it was a pilots choice to do this or a mission requierment, and if it was common.

I also need as much info as possible about how much ammo was taking on various flights, and the various bomb loadouts they used. And any droptanks + weapons combos they had. In short i need it all. Website form, sourced info you have, books, dvds, quotes from pilots, anything that can be sourced. This mod will add alot more loadout choices for the upcoming ETO maps being made.

Staff MemberModerator

If you can wait till this weekend I should be come up with some of the info you requested including some unusal stuff. I even think I have a picture of a P-47D with P-38 lighting wing tanks installed and a 500 lb slung under neath.

Also,
Pic 3. P-47D with P-38 drop tanks apears to be fitted with the 150 gal steel drop tanks, not the P-38 type.

Pic 5. 150 gal drop tank apears to be P-38 tanks, possibly 165 gal as they look a bit large for 150 gal.

Pic 6. 300 gallon wing tank 150 gallon center line tank and 1000lb bomb apears to have a 150 or 165 gal P-38 tank on the wing, I don't think 300 gal P-38 tanks were ever used on the P-47 (though the P-47N did use 300+ gal tanks), an in this case it would have made the weight distribution way off as a full 300 gal tank would weigh over 1,900 lbs.

7. 5" inch rockets with 500lb bombs Those would be the 4.5" tube launched rockets.

Staff MemberModerator

Also,
Pic 3. P-47D with P-38 drop tanks apears to be fitted with the 150 gal steel drop tanks, not the P-38 type.

Pic 5. 150 gal drop tank apears to be P-38 tanks, possibly 165 gal as they look a bit large for 150 gal.

Pic 6. 300 gallon wing tank 150 gallon center line tank and 1000lb bomb apears to have a 150 or 165 gal P-38 tank on the wing, I don't think 300 gal P-38 tanks were ever used on the P-47 (though the P-47N did use 300+ gal tanks), an in this case it would have made the weight distribution way off as a full 300 gal tank would weigh over 1,900 lbs.

7. 5" inch rockets with 500lb bombs Those would be the 4.5" tube launched rockets.

One thing thats more difficult to tell in some cases is what size the tanks are, the shape of the 75 gal and 150 gal steel tanks is very similar and it's hard to tell the scale in some pictures, though in some cases it's pretty obvious. Similar with the P-38 tanks, particularly the 150 gal vs 165 gal being particularly difficult, but the 300 gal tanks being hard to discern at times as well.

There was also a smaller 52 US gal steel teardrop shaped tank that the P-40 an P-39 used.

I havent seen any pictures of one on the center line, doesnt mean its not true. Maybe some one will know for sure.

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I know a guy at the CAF, Joseph Peppito, that was worked on P-47s during the war. I think he said they did weapons testing or something like that stateside. Anyway, he said it was physically impossible to have a 1000 lb bomb on the center line because the belly of the plane is so close to the ground.

For that same reason all belly tanks larger than the 108 gal tank had to be somewhat tub shape, and not cylindrical in cross-section. (if you notice, many belly mounted items have well under a foot of clearance)

I believe the 150 gal belly tanks were the same as those able to be fitted on the P-40's belly. (Used mostly for ferrying in the P-40's case iirc, though some may have been used in combat. There was also an even larger 170 US gallon ferry tank used on the P-40)

Has there been a thread made for info on drop tanks used in the war? (especilly on the US as they seem to have used a greater variety than anyone else)

Staff MemberModerator

Has there been a thread made for info on drop tanks used in the war? (especilly on the US as they seem to have used a greater variety than anyone else)

If not, it might be good to start one.

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As far as I know there are no threads that talk about drop tanks exclusively. Like you said. American drop tanks come in a wide variety including the use of british drop tanks on american aircraft. It is a good idea though not exactly sure on how to start it. I guess you could post pictures of certain types of drop tanks and then post the types of aircraft it was used on underneath the picture. Idea's?

Also,
Pic 3. P-47D with P-38 drop tanks apears to be fitted with the 150 gal steel drop tanks, not the P-38 type.

Pic 5. 150 gal drop tank apears to be P-38 tanks, possibly 165 gal as they look a bit large for 150 gal.

Pic 6. 300 gallon wing tank 150 gallon center line tank and 1000lb bomb apears to have a 150 or 165 gal P-38 tank on the wing, I don't think 300 gal P-38 tanks were ever used on the P-47 (though the P-47N did use 300+ gal tanks), an in this case it would have made the weight distribution way off as a full 300 gal tank would weigh over 1,900 lbs.

7. 5" inch rockets with 500lb bombs Those would be the 4.5" tube launched rockets.

Click to expand...

I need to may some further corrections to this.
I'm not fairly sure the tank in pic 3 is the standard "75 gallon" steel tank. (actual capacity 85 US gallons, though I beleive 75 gal may have been how much that could be extracted from the tank when fitted to an aircraft)

pic 6 Also the 75 gal tank on the belly.

An interesting note on pic 5 is the wing racks. They seem to be a very early model with a metal frame structure rather than the more streamlined pylon later used.